Recipient of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce 2006 Small Business Leader of the Year and many other accolades including the Rhode Island Innovation Awards' Collaborative Innovation Leader, Item Group will open its recently renovated 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility to host this month's Business After Hours. Item's new corporate offices are housed in a converted factory building designed by award winning Durkee, Brown, Viveiros, & Werenfels Architects, Inc. The company, founded by "idea guys" and RISD graduates Stephen Lane and Aidan Petrie, collaborates with organizations to develop new products, guiding them from concept design through manufacturing. Item Group is one of the largest product development companies in the U.S. and has launched hundreds of commercially successful products ranging from medical devices to consumer products. Client companies include Boston Scientific, Discovery Channel, Gerber, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Sperian, Thule and Black and Decker. Come network and see the many products that Item has produced and see how continuous reinvention is the key to business sustainability.